Just like the outside of the laptop gets dirty so does the inside. You cannot see this dust, so it is easy to ignore it completely. This dust keeps gathering inside the unit over time and starts causing problems. The debris can affect the working of the cooling fan inside your laptop.
As a result of that, the processer might start overheating due to the poor working of the fan. This is why you need to clean the laptop fan from time to time. If you feel that the laptop has been heating up or your system is slow, one of the reasons could be that the fan is not clean.
Cleaning Inside of Laptop?
You can clean the fan of a laptop at home, without having to spend money on taking it to a professional. The supplies that you need for cleaning your laptop are:
- Compressed air
- A lint-free cloth
- Screwdriver set
Cleaning the Laptop fan with Compressed Air
First of all, turn off your laptop. Make sure that nothing is connected to it. Take the battery out. On the outer edge, you will see the air vents of the laptop. Take a screwdriver to unscrew this panel. Once you open this, you will see a fan. In most of the laptops, the fans are accessible.
Take the bottle of compressed air and blow air into the air vent. Make sure to blow air from different angles. Do not burst air too strongly as this may end up damaging the fan.
After that, put the battery in and turn on your laptop. The processer should be much cooler as the fan will be able to work in a better condition.
Cleaning the Laptop with Lint-free cloth
For this, you have to unplug your laptop. Put it upside down. Make sure that it is on an anti-static surface. After that, remove the panel of your laptop by using a screwdriver. You would see small cups on the side of the laptop. Use your screwdriver to open these cups and remove the bottom panel.
When you remove the panel, you will be able to see the inside of the laptop. The fan will be right in front of you. Using your finger, keep the fan in place. Hold it gently so that you do not end up breaking it.
When you hold the fan, it will not rotate. Now, use a lint-free or microfiber cloth to clean the fan gently. In order to be more thorough, we would recommend using a q-tip instead. Make sure that you have removed all the dust from the fan.
After cleaning the fan, close the panel and screw everything back in place. After that, put the battery in and turn on your laptop. You would notice that the laptop works much better now as the fan will be able to cool the processer in a much better way.
How to Clean Dust from Laptop if you cannot Open it?
If you have a laptop that cannot be opened, you can still clean dust from the laptop. Even if you are not opening it, the laptop will still gather dust over time. Keep your laptop in a place that you can clean easily afterward. You will be getting dust all over the place, so choose the place beforehand.
Even if you cannot open the vents, just take a can of compressed air and burst air into the vents. This will be able to unclog some dust from the fan. Even though this is not the best way to unclog the dust, it is still better than nothing.
Make sure that you do not burst air with too much pressure as it would damage the fan or might make it rotate too quickly. Do not burst air in one long stream—burst air in short streams.
Is Compressed Air Effective?
Compressed air is definitely effective in cleaning the dust from your computer’s fans. Since not all laptops can be opened or cleaned using a cloth, compressed air comes in handy. Also, compressed air is easily available at most stores, so you do not have to worry about finding them. You can even find them at a dollar store or at your local pharmacy.
However, some people might be worried that since the can is made of plastic or metal, it is not always recyclable. This is a threat to the environment. However, if you use the can of compressed air properly, without wasting too much, you should be able to use one can for a very long time.
How often should you clean a laptop fan?
You do not have to clean the laptop fan every month or so. If possible, you should clean the fan every six months. You can also clean every year, but do not let the fan be dirty for more than that duration of time. If you do not clean from time to time, the dust will keep accumulating, and it can harden over time. This dirt is hard to remove as compressed air might not be able to dislodge it.
Tips for Cleaning a Laptop Fan
Since you will be opening up your laptop, you need to keep some things in mind.
- First of all, do not use constant streams of compressed air to clean the laptop as the fan might spin too quickly and end up breaking.
- If you are cleaning the fan without compressed air, use a gentle cloth and do not hold the fan too tightly as this could damage it.
- Clean the fan every six months to one year to ensure that it works to its best ability.
Conclusion
If you are still unsure to open your laptop, then you may use a vacuum cleaner to get rid of the debris as well. However, this method, no matter how easy it seems to follow is not recommended. Why so? Because when you use a vacuum or a blower will make your fan spin that could damage it. It does not happen all the time but when the fan is in a bad state, this procedure could cost you more money than save some. You can follow the video below:
If you use your laptop on a daily basis, it is important to clean it too so that it keeps working properly. In this guide, we have mentioned the easiest ways to clean a laptop fan. If there is something stuck inside the laptop, do not remove the hardware on your own. Take it to an expert or a repair shop and let them do the rest.
Recent Comments